1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of portable tool carrying devices. More specifically, the invention is concerned with portable tool carrying devices that can be releasably attached to the rungs and top ends of rails of a ladder and the horizontal bars or rails of scaffolding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
People who engage in construction and repair of various buildings, dwellings, and other structures frequently employ ladders and scaffolding to support them above a floor or ground surface in order to gain access to a particular portion or component of the structure. One of the more popular means of achieving the desired elevation involves the use of extension-type ladders. These ladders are a construction of two straight ladder sections that are telescopically attached in order that the ladder can be adjusted or extended to various lengths to accommodate various work heights. One ladder section, which rests upon the ground or floor surface and supports a second ladder section against a structure, is fitted with gripping feet at the unattached end of its rails. The second ladder section is sometimes fitted with tips at the unattached end of its rails to prevent scratching, damage, gouging, or otherwise marring the surface against which it is positioned.
Scaffolding is used, as are ladders, to reach high places on existing structures or those under construction. Scaffolding is sometimes vertically moveable by means of ropes and pulleys. Other types are often a grid or framework assembled on a job site and then positioned against a structure. Scaffolding has the advantage of allowing users to have more freedom to move about and it does not have to be repositioned once assembled. It has in the area of use horizontal pieces or rails.
Usually, a series of tools must be transported to the particular work location at some point on the ladder. The quantity and amount of these tools must be sufficient to accomplish the task at hand without necessitating an inordinate number of dismounts and mounts upon the ladder to acquire additional tools. The tools are usually carried upon the ladder by a tool belt, which is strapped around the waist of the wearer. As needed, the tools are accessed from and returned to various pockets and pouches within the tool belt. Such a tool belt is cumbersome and unwieldy to use. It is sometimes difficult to access or return a tool to the tool belt when the user""s body position is awkward.
This limitation is frequently overcome by removing the belt and positioning it upon or over a ladder rail, a rung or a section of scaffolding. While this alternative allows easier access to the tools, it also increases the likelihood that individual tools or even the complete tool belt will be dropped or knocked off the ladder or scaffolding. Such an event requires that time and effort be expended to retrieve the dropped tool(s) or tool belt. Also, dropped tools or tool belts are safety hazard, as falling tools or a tool belt may strike a worker or passerby or cause damage to personal property.
What is needed then to overcome the problems of transporting tools by a tool belt or similar means upon a ladder or scaffolding is the provision of a tool pouch that is designed to be releasably and firmly attached to scaffolding or an extension ladder, such as the top ends of the rails of an upper ladder section or upon a ladder rung. Such a pouch would be capable of safely storing a variety of tools and at the same time making them easily accessible. This pouch should be incapable of damaging and should protect the surface against which an extension ladder rests when the pouch is secured to the top end of the ladder.
Numerous designs for ladder pouches have been provided in the prior art. Even though these designs may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention. These prior art designs are primarily for use with pivoting stepladders. They are not particularly suited for safe use on scaffoldings. These designs are exemplified by: U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,669, Invertible Dual Carrier For Ladder Top Use, issued to Rasler, on May 17, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,003, Convertible Ladder Caddy Utzinger, III, on Jun. 17, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,453, Multi-Purpose Ladder Apron, issued to Cassells, on Jul. 15, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,883, Tool Accessory For Ladder, issued to Trank, on Apr. 12, 1998; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,437, Free Standing Ladder Supported Tool Holder, issued to Weller, on May 12, 1998.
There is a continuing need for a new and improved ladder pouch designed primarily for use with extension-type ladders and scaffolding with means to stow a variety of tools. Further, the pouch should not damage and should protect a surface against which top of a ladder is positioned. Finally, the tool pouch, if used with scaffolding, should be capable of being securely fastened to the horizontal members of scaffolding. The present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides a tool pouch that substantially fulfills these needs.
The present invention provides a tool bag for use with scaffolding and ladders. These ladders have rails and rungs with the top of the rails extending beyond the top rung. The tool bag, hereinafter called the bag, is a soft fabric bag having a front, back, sides and an open top. It is sized to fit between the rails of a ladder which distance in a typical extension ladder is about 13 inches.
The bag has vertically oriented open bottom, closed top sleeves attached to the sides of the bag. These sleeves are dimensioned to slide over the top rails of a ladder, which, typically in the case of some aluminum ladders, have a cross section measuring 2xc2xd by 1 inch. There is a pair of vertical hooks affixed to the back of the bag spaced to engage a rung of the ladder, usually near the top. The hooks are desirably positioned to fall just inside the opposing sides of the rails. In the case of scaffolding, the hooks would attach to a horizontal member of the scaffold.
In another preferred embodiment, there is a loose band horizontally positioned on the outside of the sleeves that is designed to hold frequently used tools in a readily available position. In yet another preferred embodiment, the back and the bottom contains a stiffening panel, which is either externally positioned or is located between a layers of fabric forming the back and or the bottom of the bag.
The back of the bag contains an adjustable safety strap and fastener for fastening to a rung. This strap is located in the back of the bag, between the pair of vertical hooks. This safety strap prevents the bag from falling in the event the hooks are disengaged from the rung of a ladder or a horizontal member of scaffolding.